Kevzara (sarilumab), an underperforming cure against serious coronavirus cases… This is the conclusion made by AP-HP in a study issued this Tuesday November 23, 2021, saying the cure - that was under rolling review - does not enable to prevent deaths after hospitalization when given a few days before. The study does not "find any short-term benefit of sarilumab in mild to severe Covid-19 cases".
The study included about 150 patients hopistalized and confirms results from a previous clinical trial led a year ago by Sanofi. Sanofi laboratories announced in a press release, on Tuesday September 1, 2020 that they were ending the clinical trial on this medicine. The study, on phase 3, “has not reached its main nor its secondary assessment criteria comparatively with the placebo, and in both cases, in addition to usual hospital care” the pharmaceutical group said.
A treatment co-developed in 2017 by Sanofi and American laboratory Regeneron, first to fight against rheumatoid polyarthritis. The French laboratory conjectured that it could also have an effect on serious Covid-19 cases, and reduce lethality. The clinical trial was still on going a few days ago and including 420 patients from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Israel, Italy, Germany, Japan, and even France and Russia.
Even though Kevzara (sarilumab) “did not deliver results we were hoping for, we are proud of the work accomplished by the team that has been entrusted with teaching us more on the potential use of Kevzara in the treatment of Covid-19” Sanofi said in the release, via John Reed, the company’s international head of research and development.
A pharmaceutical group also not planning “to continue other clinical studies on Kevzara as to cure Covid-19” the release reads.
